What Do the Jewish Groups Say About Intermarriage?

Reform Judaism"We are an inclusive community, opening doors to Jewish life to people of all ages, to varied kinds of families, to all regardless of their sexual orientation, to (gerim), those who have converted to Judaism, and to all individuals and families, including the intermarried, who strive to create a Jewish home."

Conservative Judaism"If our children end up marrying non-Jews, we should not reject them. Rather, we should continue to give our love and thereby retain a measure of influence in their lives, Jewishly and otherwise....We subscribe to a three-tiered approach to intermarriage: beginning with attempts at PREVENTION, then the promotion of CONVERSION, and finally, when prevention and conversion fail to occur, keruv to the mixed family [reaching out to bring them into the Jewish fold]...We are determined and committed to challenge intermarriage, rather than accept it. Our first line of defense is to emphasize the mitzvah of 'inmarriage.'"

Source: Statement on Intermarriage,adopted March 7, 1995, by the Leadership Council of Conservative Judaism and the Rabbinical Assembly.

Orthodox JudaismOpposes intermarriage staunchly. Deuteronomy 7:3 says "Do not become married to them," in a reference to the seven tribes that the ancient Israelites encountered upon entering Canaan. Various passages in the Talmud extrapolate from that statement to prohibit all intermarriage.